Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Apr 6, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; St. Louis Blues center Nikita Alexandrov (59) walks to the ice for warmups before the game between the San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues at SAP Center at San Jose.
The St. Louis Blues have secured forward Nikita Alexandrov to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level and $300,000 in the AHL, with a $350,000 guarantee, as announced by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong.
birthday boy ➡️ Niki = goal pic.twitter.com/5nesTHEuER
— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) March 9, 2025
The 24-year-old forward, drafted 62nd overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, is coming off a standout season with the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he tallied 21 goals and 49 points in 48 regular-season games. His impressive performance, ranking second on the team in both goals and points. His performance and all-around growth could put Alexandrov to be a dark horse candidate to claim a bottom-six roster spot with the Blues for the 2025-26 season.
Alexandrov, a 6’1, 176-pound center/left wing from Burgwedel, Germany, has shown significant steps within the Blues’ organization. His 49 points last season in the AHL marked a career-high offensively pushing his career totals to 58 goals, 71 assists, 129 points in 170 career AHL games.
In limited NHL action in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Alexandrov has appeared in 51 games with the Blues, recording nine points (three goals, six assists) and 12 penalty minutes while averaging just over nine minutes of ice time per game. His development trajectory suggests he’s ready to take the next step and compete for a permanent role in St. Louis.
With the Blues’ forward group taking shape, Alexandrov’s emergence could put pressure on players like Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier. Joseph, 28, recorded four goals and 14 points in 60 games during his first season with the Blues in 2024-25. His defensive-minded game and penalty-kill contributions provide a different dimension, making him a tougher candidate to unseat. However, Texier, a 25-year-old center/left wing like Alexandrov, might be more vulnerable. Texier posted six goals and 11 points in 31 games with the Blues last season, and with similar positional versatility, he could find himself in direct competition with Alexandrov for a roster spot.
Alexandrov’s offensive flair and recent AHL dominance give him an edge as a potential bottom-six contributor. If he continues to build on his 2024-25 AHL campaign, where he also recorded 20 penalty minutes, he could bring a blend of scoring touch and physicality to the Blues’ lineup.
As training camp approaches for the 2025-26 season, there will be another level of competition to see whether Alexandrov can translate his AHL success to the NHL and outshine his competitors.